Difference between revisions of "Mzansi"
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[[Mzansi]] is a South African word used as an informal name for the country or the people of [[South Africa]] in recent years. | [[Mzansi]] is a South African word used as an informal name for the country or the people of [[South Africa]] in recent years. | ||
| − | According to the Lexico.com[https://www.lexico.com/definition/mzansi], it derives from the Xhosa word "uMzantsi", | + | According to the Lexico.com[https://www.lexico.com/definition/mzansi], it derives from the Xhosa word "uMzantsi", i.e. the prefix "um"- + -"zantsi" (= "low" or "south"). |
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The term if often used by the popular press as a general term to refer to country and/or its people, as in the following example from arts journalist [[Kyle Zeeman]]: "[[Mzansi]] mourns the death of theatre legend & '[[Skeem Saam]]' actor [[Mahuma Paul Rapetsoa]]" (''[[The Sowetan|Sowetan Live]]'' 30 December, 2020)[https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/south-africa/2020-12-30-mzansi-mourns-the-death-of-theatre-legend--skeem-saam-actor-mahuma-paul-rapetsoa/] | The term if often used by the popular press as a general term to refer to country and/or its people, as in the following example from arts journalist [[Kyle Zeeman]]: "[[Mzansi]] mourns the death of theatre legend & '[[Skeem Saam]]' actor [[Mahuma Paul Rapetsoa]]" (''[[The Sowetan|Sowetan Live]]'' 30 December, 2020)[https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/south-africa/2020-12-30-mzansi-mourns-the-death-of-theatre-legend--skeem-saam-actor-mahuma-paul-rapetsoa/] | ||
Latest revision as of 05:11, 31 December 2020
Mzansi is a South African word used as an informal name for the country or the people of South Africa in recent years.
According to the Lexico.com[1], it derives from the Xhosa word "uMzantsi", i.e. the prefix "um"- + -"zantsi" (= "low" or "south").
The term if often used by the popular press as a general term to refer to country and/or its people, as in the following example from arts journalist Kyle Zeeman: "Mzansi mourns the death of theatre legend & 'Skeem Saam' actor Mahuma Paul Rapetsoa" (Sowetan Live 30 December, 2020)[2]
The term is also found as the name of a popular digital TV channel (Mzansi Magic[3], founded in 2010) and of a low-cost national bankinɡ account in South Africa.
Sources
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/mzansi
https://www.dictionary.com/browse/mzans
https://www.lexico.com/definition/mzansi
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mzansi_Magic
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